An electro-hydrostatic drive for realizing a rapid movement during a rapid movement phase, a force-building movement during a force-building movement phase. The apparatus comprises a hydro-machine with variable volume and/or rotational speed, driven by an electric motor, for providing a volume-stream of a hydraulic fluid, a first cylinder with a piston chamber, an rod chamber, and a plunger rod, a reservoir, a pressure source, a relief valve, a check valve, a fluid connection between the piston chamber and the hydro-machine, a fluid connection between the rod chamber and the hydro-machine, a fluid connection between the piston chamber and the reservoir, a fluid connection between the rod-chamber-side port of the hydro-machine and the reservoir, a fluid connection, through the relief valve, between the reservoir and the pressure source. The relief valve is for pressure safety of the reservoir, and the check valve has a fluid connection from the pressure source to the rod-chamber-side port of the hydro-machine, during the rapid movement phase, a first part of the hydraulic fluid is piped through the fluid connection between the piston chamber and the hydro-machine and the fluid connection between the rod chamber and the hydro-machine, and a second part of the hydraulic fluid communicates through the fluid connection between the piston chamber and the reservoir, during the force-building movement phase, a first part of the hydraulic fluid is piped through the fluid connection between the piston chamber and the hydro-machine and the fluid connection between the rod chamber and the hydro-machine, and a second part of the hydraulic fluid is piped through the fluid connection between the rod-chamber-side port of the hydro-machine and the reservoir.

A power machine with an internal combustion engine and an in-line hydrostatic/hydraulic pump package includes a stiffening bracket which mounts a flywheel housing to the engine and is configured to change the natural frequency of the engine/pump package so that the engine firing frequency does not match the natural frequency of the engine/pump package.

An automatic residual load relief system for hydraulic compactors having rotary pumps relieves residual load inherent in the compacted material by releasing hydraulic fluid from the cylinder prior to reversal of the rotary pump while preventing the fluid from returning to the pump. The system comprises in general a rotary pump powered by a motor, one-way suction check valves, a flow check valve, a one-way, normally-open, pilot operated check valve, a cylinder comprising a reciprocating piston, the piston defining a disk void and an annular void within the cylinder, and a tank.

A hydraulic system includes a hydraulic actuator to be operated by an operation fluid, a first hydraulic pump to output the operation fluid, a second hydraulic pump to output the operation fluid, a control valve to which the operation fluid outputted from the first hydraulic pump is supplied, the control valve being configured to control the operation fluid that is to be supplied to the hydraulic actuator, a first fluid tube connecting the control valve to the hydraulic actuator, a second fluid tube to which the operation fluid outputted from the second hydraulic pump is supplied, the second fluid tube being connected to the first fluid tube, and a first switching valve disposed on the second fluid tube. The spool includes a communicating fluid passage being configured to supply the operation fluid to the first inner fluid passage, the operation fluid being received by the pressure-receiving port.

A method for controlling a hydraulic actuator (2) of a system (1) by means of a valve having a valve element is described. A position of the valve element determines a pressure supplied to a hydraulic actuator (2). In such a method a variable dead band should be minimized. To this end a start position of the valve element is preadjusted as a function of at least one parameter outside the hydraulic actuator (2).

A system and method is provided for monitoring a hydraulic power system having at least one light emitter and a button. The method includes powering on the hydraulic power system, receiving an actuation at the button and detecting a release of the button after a first time interval, and entering a diagnostic state. The method further includes retrieving a code and displaying the code by turning on the emitter in a first pattern. In some embodiments, a system and method is provided for regulating a temperature of a hydraulic power system. In some embodiments, a system and method is provided for controlling operation of a hydraulic torque wrench.

Actuators having electroactive valves are described herein. The actuators can move from a first position to a second position and lock in the second position using an electroactive valve. The device can include an actuator having a fluid-impermeable membrane. The fluid-impermeable membrane can define a compartment, the compartment having a central region, an edge region extending from and fluidly connected with the central region, an electroactive valve between the central region and the edge region, and a dielectric fluid. When actuated, the actuators can force fluid through the electroactive valves and into the edge region. Once in the edge region, the electroactive valves can prevent return flow until receiving an actuation signal.

A robotic joint that includes a hydraulic actuator. The hydraulic actuator includes a hollow tube that has a first opening at a first end of the hollow tube and that has a second opening at a second end of the hollow tube. The hollow tube contains hydraulic fluid. A moveable magnet moves within hollow tube as a result of a magnetic field within the hollow tube. A magnetic field source located outside the hollow tube creates the magnetic field within the hollow tube. When the moveable magnet moves to the first end of the hollow tube, a first piston pushes hydraulic fluid out of the first opening. When the moveable magnet moves to the second end of the hollow tube a second piston pushes hydraulic fluid out of the second opening.

An electro hydrostatic actuator comprises a hydraulic pump driven by an electric motor to supply hydraulic fluid to a hydraulic actuator. The pump comprises an inlet and an outlet for the hydraulic fluid and an active flow path arranged therebetween such that, in an active mode of operation when the pump is driven by the electric motor, hydraulic fluid is actively drawn in through the inlet and exhausted out through the outlet. The pump further comprises a bypass flow path arranged to open between the inlet and outlet such that, in a damping mode of operation when the pump is not driven by the electric motor, hydraulic fluid is able to pass through the pump along the bypass flow path between the inlet and outlet.

Systems, methods and devices are described providing a selective hydraulic or electrically powered prime mover that is a bi-directional power unit system, including movement within a device used to compress and/or expand a fluid and provide fluid movement. The use of a hydraulic power unit is involved and comprises at least a pump or other fluid moving device, a first set of selective control valves delivering pressurized fluid to the device(s), and a second set of selective control valves returning unpressurized fluid from the device(s), a reservoir comprising a compensator tank, a port for operation at ambient pressure, and a pressure measuring device measuring ambient pressure allowing for unbalanced flow to and from the device as well as thermal expansion or compression. The use of a multiport and in some cases a swashplate pump that incorporates the features and functions of several valves for the system is also described.